story lines

plural of story line
as in stories
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of story lines Some episodes of Ted Lasso feature no major events and offer few significant developments to the season’s ongoing story lines. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026 These story lines add a sense of urgency and progress to a series that was a little too comfortable being amiably aimless. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 Whenever next season begins (if there is a season), a Cannarella-Marsee center field battle should be one of the most fascinating story lines. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Dwayne Hickman starred as the titular character Dobie Gillis, the lovestruck teenager whose quest for romance drove the show’s story lines. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 From there, readers can dive into all sorts of comics from Marvel history, from original Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics from the '60s to more recent titles and event crossovers that were the basis for MCU story lines. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 July 2026 The series combines potty-mouthed put-downs with more sentimental story lines. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 There were plenty of compelling story lines taking shape as the sun began to dip on the legendary course. — Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story lines
Noun
  • The Middle East Monitor, which brands itself as supportive of the Palestinian cause, had published at least 21 stories under bylines OpenAI said were fake including Hoskins, Michael Harrison, Jenny Williams and Alice Johnson.
    — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Kapoor will lead the creative direction, with Balaji retaining the underlying IP while tapping YouTube’s global distribution and advertising business — a savvy expansion that doesn’t involve surrendering ownership of her stories.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There’s no winking at the audience, no sense of camp or parody, just a lot of appealing interactions, plus some wholly superfluous tertiary plots added to expand the story to series length.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Unsheltered intertwined two plots related to the precarity of American life and the danger of demagogues—one set at the dawn of the MAGA era.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Arrests near schools or colleges have increased, though enforcement actions on campuses are extremely uncommon.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Similar actions have come from Tennessee, Kentucky, and beyond.
    — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Story lines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story%20lines. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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